2013

After the success of the first two Mediterranean Forest Weeks, in 2010 in Antalya (Turkey) and in 2011 in Avignon (France), the Algerian authorities welcome this third edition in Tlemcen from 17-21 March 2013 on the following issue: "Mediterranean forests for sustainable development of territories: what strategies of mitigation and adaptation to global change?" …

Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural and food industries around the world have given us innumerable products derived from genetic resources in nature. Sharing the benefits of these products equitably has been of concern to biodiverse developing countries, whose natural resources have given rise to new drugs, crop varieties, and herbal supplements. Providing international access to these resources for research and development, and sharing the commercial benefits of such use, can be beneficial for social and economic development. At the same time, access and benefit-sharing (ABS) offers a concrete example of valuing biodiversity and its ecosystem services, and an economic tool to take proper account of this value. … | Spanish

A new partnership has been agreed between the IUCN SSC Freshwater Plant Specialist Group (FPSG) and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) that will improve wetland conservation and help save threatened plants. …

National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the national level and in the past few months IUCN has been supporting the Fiji Government, an IUCN State Member, to review its existing NBSAP Implementation Framework (2010 - 2014). …

Continuing our countdown to World Water Day, which is celebrated each year on 22 March, we zoom in on Costa Rica to interview IUCN's Rocio Cordoba on water cooperation in the Mesoamerica region. … | Spanish

Marking the International Day of Forests 2013 today, Dr Lynn Clayton, Project director with YANI an SOS grantee, and her young friend Yanto, report on one of several tree planting initiatives helping to build awareness and community support for the preservation of the Nantu forest as well as its threatened species including the Babirusa and Anoa in Sulawesi. …